Don’t Panic: The Psychology of Emergency Egress and Ingress

Why do people sometimes behave aggressively during emergency egress or ingress, knocking down and trampling on others, which disrupts flow and causes blockages, while other times people move in a smooth, coordinated manner? This book contains a comparative analysis of case histories of bad versus good emergency escape. Included are some of the most well-known cases in U.S. history, such as the Iroquois Theatre fire, the Cocoanut Grove fire, and the World Trade Center bombing. Drawing from investigative reports and authoritative sources, the authors present accounts of the circumstances surrounding each case and give 10 factors that are usually the cause for disastrous consequences. This book will be of interest to students and faculty in the fields of psychology, urban planning, and U.S. history.